The best AI music generator depends on the job, because the tools split cleanly by what they make. For full songs you will edit, with vocals, stems and commercial rights, Suno's paid plans are the dedicated tool: Pro is listed at $8 a month with commercial rights and 20 song downloads. For a bed under a video, generating it where the video is saves the round trip: on 8frame, ElevenLabs Music runs 3 seconds to 10 minutes at 81 credits a minute, Lyria 2 makes 30-second pieces at 13 credits, and MiniMax Music writes songs with lyrics from 5 credits. Disclosure: 8frame is our product, and we list what it does not do as well as what it does.
TL;DR
| Job | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Full songs with vocals, stems, an editor | Suno Pro or Premier | Commercial rights from Pro, stems, Suno Studio on Premier |
| A long instrumental bed under a video | ElevenLabs Music | 3 s to 10 min per generation |
| Short cues and loops next to the cut | Lyria 2 | 30-second pieces at 13 credits |
| Cheap songs with lyrics | MiniMax Music | v2 at 5 credits, Music 3 at 17 (10 s to 5 min) |
The four things that decide it
Rights. Whether you can put the track in an ad or a monetized video is set by the plan, not by the sound. Suno's free plan has no commercial rights; Pro and Premier do (suno.com/pricing, checked 2026-09-29). ElevenLabs lists "Music commercial use" from its Starter plan (elevenlabs.io/pricing, checked 2026-09-29). On 8frame, commercial use is cleared on paid plans.
Length. A song tool, a 30-second cue generator and a 10-minute bed generator are different instruments. Match the length of one generation to what you need, or you pay to trim.
Vocals. If you need a sung lyric, use a tool built for songs: Suno, or MiniMax Music on 8frame. If you need something under a voiceover, vocals get in the way.
Price per usable track. Count the generations you throw away. A cheaper model you run five times can cost more than a dearer one you run once.
The picks
Suno: when the song is the product
Suno's pricing page, checked 2026-09-29:
| Plan | Price as listed | Credits | Commercial rights | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 50 a day | No | No monthly song downloads |
| Pro | $8 a month | 2,500 a month | Yes | 20 songs a month |
| Premier | $24 a month | 10,000 a month | Yes | 60 songs a month |
Pro adds two stem separation types and a priority queue; Premier adds a third stem type and access to Suno Studio, which Suno describes as "now with MIDI, effects, automation". The monthly prices shown come with an annual-billing saving, so check which billing period the price applies to before you subscribe.
If the music is the deliverable, an artist project or a track you will mix, this is the tool to pay for.
ElevenLabs Music: long beds
On 8frame, ElevenLabs Music generates from 3 seconds to 10 minutes per run at 81 credits a minute, billed per whole minute. That makes it good value for a 2-minute bed (162 credits) and poor value for a 5-second sting, which still costs a full minute. On ElevenLabs' own site, music is charged at 900 of their credits per minute and commercial use starts at the Starter plan.
Lyria 2: short cues next to the cut
Google's Lyria 2 makes 30-second pieces, 13 credits each on 8frame. That is the right size for a social cut, a product demo or a transition cue, and cheap enough to audition ten options against the actual edit for 130 credits. How to judge them against picture is in how to pick music for a brand video.
MiniMax Music: songs with lyrics, cheaply
MiniMax Music writes music with lyrics. On 8frame, v2 costs 5 credits a generation and Music 3 costs 17, with Music 3 running from 10 seconds to 5 minutes. It is the cheapest way on the canvas to test whether a sung hook works before paying for a full song elsewhere.
Udio and Stable Audio
Both are established music tools. Their pricing pages load their plan details in the browser only, so we could not read and quote their current prices and terms. Check them directly before comparing.
When generating next to the video wins
The standalone route is generate, download, import, discover the drop lands two seconds after your cut. On a canvas where the footage already sits, you audition beds against the edit and regenerate on the spot. Ten Lyria 2 options cost 130 credits, about $1.30 at pack rate.
The limit runs the other way too: an on-canvas generator is a bed-maker, not a studio. If the track is the product, a dedicated song tool or a composer is the right spend.
FAQ
What is the best AI music generator in 2026? For finished songs with vocals and stems, a paid Suno plan. For beds and cues under video, ElevenLabs Music (long) or Lyria 2 (30-second pieces), generated next to the edit.
Can I use AI music commercially? Only on a plan that grants it. Suno's free plan does not; Suno Pro and Premier do. ElevenLabs lists music commercial use from Starter. On 8frame, paid plans clear commercial use.
How much does an AI music track cost? On 8frame, 13 credits for a 30-second Lyria 2 piece, 5 to 17 for MiniMax Music, and 81 per started minute for ElevenLabs Music. Plans start at $19 a month for 1,000 credits.
Which AI music generator makes songs with vocals? Suno, and MiniMax Music on 8frame.
Sources
- Suno plans, credits, commercial rights, downloads, stems and Suno Studio: suno.com/pricing, fetched 2026-09-29
- ElevenLabs "Eleven Music 900 credits per minute" and "Music commercial use" on Starter: elevenlabs.io/pricing, fetched 2026-09-29
- Udio and Stable Audio: udio.com/pricing and stableaudio.com/pricing render plan details client-side and could not be quoted, 2026-09-29
Pay for a song tool when the song is the product; generate the bed next to the cut when it is not. The 8frame canvas is free and unlimited, and generation is paid from $19/month.